Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work.
Today: Lisa Oliver lives in the wilds of New Zealand, although her beautiful dogs Hades and Zeus are now living somewhere else far more remote than she is. Reports indicate they truly enjoy chasing possums although they still can’t catch them. In the meantime, Lisa is living a lot closer to all her adult kids and grandchildren which means she gets a lot more visitors. However, it doesn’t look like she’s ever going to stop writing – with over a hundred paranormal MM (and MMM) titles to her name so far, she shows no signs of slowing down.
When Lisa is not writing, she is usually reading with a cup of tea always at hand. Her grown children and grandchildren sometimes try and pry her away from the computer and have found that the best way to do it is to promise her chocolate. Lisa will do anything for chocolate… and occasionally crackers. She has also started working out, because of the chocolate and the crackers.
Lisa loves to hear from her readers and other writers (I really do, lol). You can catch up with her on any of the social media links below.
I finally got my Patreon page up and running – you can check that out at https://www.patreon.com/LisaOliver
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/lisaoliverauthor
Official Author page – https://www.facebook.com/LisaOliverManloveAuthor/
My new private teaser group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/540361549650663/
My MeWe Group – http://mewe.com/join/lisa_olivers_paranormal_pack
And Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lisa_oliver_author/
My blog – http://www.paranormalgayromance.com
Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/wisecrone333
YouTube (I am so awful at this lol, but it makes me laugh) – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuPx1orrUiUHt_ECNaX8SWw and
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@lisaoliver135 (These could be easier to watch because the videos are shorter lol)
Email me directly at yoursintuitively@gmail.com.
Thanks so much, Lisa, for joining me!
J. Scott Coatsworth: How would you describe your writing style/genre?
Lisa Oliver: I have always written my books as if I was telling my stories to a trusted friend. Therefore my writing style is casual, and it is just like I speak, which some people find strange, but it works for me and my lovely readers appreciate my quirks.
JSC: Do you use a pseudonym? If so, why? If not, why not?
L.O.: I don’t use a pseudonym – I never have. The strange thing was, when I self-published my first book I never thought of doing it, because frankly, I never believed anyone would read my work. But people did, and then they read the next one and the next one and the next one, and now after more than a hundred “next ones” it’s a bit late to be changing my name now. But I am, truly, Lisa Oliver.
JSC: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
L.O.: Don’t get hung up on the dialogue – just write the way you talk.
JSC: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
L.O.: About a month, but then I do write full time. On average, I spend ten hours a day, seven days a week at my computer.
JSC: What do you do if you get a brilliant idea at a bad time?
L.O.: Because I’m getting older and my brain doesn’t work as well as it used to, any idea I get away from my computer is a bad time. I use the dictation program on my phone, and leave myself a voice message with the idea as I see it in my head, and then I can go back and write it down later. Honestly, if I don’t record that idea, when I’m having it, it’s gone forever.
JSC: How long have you been writing?
L.O.: I started writing fiction in the NaNoWriMo challenge in November 2013. February 2024 will be my tenth year as a self-published author.
JSC: Are you a plotter or a pantser?
L.O.: I am very definitely a pantser. The only thing I do before I start writing a new story is find two character pictures, pin them to the board by my computer, and then I open my Word document and start writing.
JSC: What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
L.O.: All writers, in my opinion, need a chef, a housekeeper, someone to manage their admin, and someone to keep the author from having to deal with pesky things like doctors’ appointments, or social engagements. Oh, you meant writing tools? Well, I don’t have any of the above, but a word processing program is a must (I use Word), access o the internet and a good editor. Honestly, you don’t need anything else.
JSC: What other artistic pursuits (it any) do you indulge in apart from writing?
L.O.: I love art – creating art. I recently found the world of junk journal making that resulted in my creating a whole new craft room just for that purpose out of one of my spare bedrooms. I also love to paint, sew, and I have a desktop laser machine I am really looking forward to using again now the summer months are on their way.
JSC: Do you believe in love at first sight?
L.O.: Absolutely – I’m still waiting for the love of my life, but I’ll know when I see them.
JSC: What are you working on now, and what’s coming out next? Tell us about it!
L.O.: I’m currently writing two books – my pirate story from my Arranged Marriage series, and Fenrir’s story in the Gods Made Me Do It series. They will both be out before the end of 2023, along with possibly a Hellhound story in December. My ‘to-write” list is huge.
And now for Lisa’s new book: Not That Kind of Demon:
Hybrid shifter Cyrus was really happy in his life. He’d seen the dark side of life, and was content to fix cars and small motors in his rural workshop. His animal sides had plenty of space to run around during his down time, and there was a bakery next door to the workshop. A man didn’t need much else in life. Until a car stopped in for a quick fix, and Cyrus caught the scent of something he never dreamed he’d find… his fated mate. Shame it wasn’t the driver of the car, but then when was life ever easy?
Assassin demon Python was seriously thinking about going back to the Underworld. His job was a good one, and he had clearance for it from the Underworld Office, but even Lord Hades had no idea how much Python missed being with his friends and family. Still, a job was a job, and he had made friends with his fellow assassins quickly enough. But while checking his car, after his PA was late picking him up, Python caught a sniff of the impossible on his leather seats. Maybe the Underworld could wait for a while.
Cyrus and Python were both happy with Fates’ choice for them, but other people weren’t so pleased. Lord Hades can’t work out why Python isn’t doing his job, and there’s another man who’d do anything to see Cyrus out of Python’s life completely. Will they find peace in Assassin’s Alley, or does the Fates have a different future in mind for these two?
Get It On Amazon
Excerpt
The last thing Cyrus expected, stretched out as he was on his couch feeling sorry for himself, was to have a naked demon just land in his lap. But his shock quickly morphed into concern. Python smelled strongly of someone else, there was blood everywhere, and Python’s lips were blue.
“Shit. Shit. Shit.” Vampire poisoning. Cyrus had only seen it a few times when he’d traveled around Europe. It was nasty and hellishly difficult to recover from. “Come on, mate. You need to shift,” although, as Cyrus examined a nasty gash on Python’s neck, he realized Python had shifted back. “Okay, let’s assume this happened to you in demon form. You’ve got some bloody questions to answer when you can, but let’s get you whole first.”
Moving out from underneath his unconscious mate, making sure he jostled Python as little as possible, Cyrus got him laid out on the couch. “You damn fool demon,” he fussed, checking to make sure none of the wounds were bleeding anymore. The gash on Python’s neck was slowly closing, which was a good sign. “I bet you left your Lexus in Spokane or wherever this shit happened. You know how much I love that car. It’ll probably only be fit for scrap when we get it back.”
Cyrus was kneeling on the floor, and he sat back on his heels. “All right. Think logically. Vampire poison affects the blood. In theory, if you were in demon form when this happened, then shifting back to human should fix it. Unless…” Cyrus’s eyes widened as he examined his stricken mate. “Is your demon as pissed at you as my animal halves were at me today? Because we didn’t spend our first day mated together?”
A groan and a twitch were Python’s only response. But the more Cyrus thought about it, the more it made sense. He’d been dragging himself around like a limp rag from the moment Python left. Now, both of his animal sides were pushing forward, lending him their energy through their concern about their new mate. “We need to do something,” Cyrus fretted. “But I don’t know what. Come on, guys, you have your own spirit bonds with the demon. Give me a clue here. There must be something we can do to help.”
The answer, when it came, was like the prodding of a distant memory, and Cyrus realized it was from the demon. A tale from long ago that told of the blood of a mate and how it had overcome the effects of vampire poisoning.
“My blood. Right. That makes sense.” Going purely on instinct, Cyrus called on his bear’s claws – they were sharper than those of his wolf. Slashing across his palm, Cyrus barely hesitated as he made a smaller nick across where he believed Python’s heart would be. The blood flow on Python’s side was sluggish – the color a darker shade than Cyrus’s, and he guessed that was because of the poison. Placing his bloodied hand across the gash he’d made on Python’s chest, Cyrus focused his attention on the demon lurking under Python’s skin.
“Demon, babe, you need to listen to me. Clearly, what Python tried to tell me last night was important.” Cyrus kept his voice low as he massaged his hand over Python’s heart, keeping his blood flow moving. “I made a mistake. I should’ve listened. I don’t know what difference that would’ve made to the events of today. But I know for a fact Python didn’t want to leave me when he did earlier this morning, yesterday morning, whenever…” Cyrus wasn’t sure what time it was.
“The thing is, I felt the pain of our separation, too. Don’t you get it? I missed you so badly. I tried to hide it by keeping busy and I did have a lot to do, but I had no energy as I was doing it. I wanted to be with you, and it was like you took my spark with you when you walked out the door. So, if you’re being pissy, punishing Python when he probably had no choice but to leave me today, well, be pissy with me. If I’d taken the time to listen to him last night, then I might have been with him today, and maybe he wouldn’t have come home in such a mess, leaving that precious car behind for someone to steal and strip for parts.”